Fourteen years ago Woods began the Masters ranked 13th in the world, Mickelson was ninth, and won his first major by 12 strokes to move ahead of Lefty in the ranking.

A year ago next Sunday Mickelson won his third green jacket and started to inch his way toward Woods and the No. 1 ranking, which he has never held. He failed to secure the top ranking on numerous occasions and had dropped to sixth in the world.